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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — money
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. capital — a city
  7. can — to be able to
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. kid — to tease
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. can — a tin
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. kid — child
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stem — a stem cell

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com